Time switch



Jan. 12 ,1926. 1,569,200

D. L. PARKHURST TIME SWITCH Filed Nov. 1, H24 ZSheets-Shoet 1 20 J i fnsukzh'on r 37 grime-Mica Jan. 12 1925.

D. L. PARKHURST TIME SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r3 7 NOV. 1,

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Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT F F l C E.

DOUGLAS L. ,PAnKHm or WASHINGTON, nrsrni r or COLUMBIA.

rims SWITCH.

prliea iqn file N em 1824- Scrial No. 7 17,3535

7 0 all iii/tomv it 922 0 1 concern Be it known that l. Don has L. Pannnuns'r, a cit zen of the Unite." States, rcsi ling at lVashin on, District of Columbia, have'invented c In new and useful Tmprovcments in Time Switches. ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention described herein may be used by the Government or any of its officers or employees in prosecution of work for theGovernment, or any other person in the United States without payment to me of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

This invention relates to a time switch for signaling lamps or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch whereby an electrical circuit may be automatically established and broken within a certain period of time.

It is also an important object of the invention that the switch can be adjusted to establish the electrical circuit for any length of time desired within the certain period of time.

A still further object of the invention is that the device be exceedingly compact and simple in structure.

@ther objects relating to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, will hereinafter appear in the detailed description to follow.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a schematic view of the switch and an electrical circuit which may be associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a face view of the switch assembly;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through the switch assembly substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 1- is an exploded view. showing the switch assembly and the associated time shaft;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the timesetting unit employed in the switch assembly;

parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

It should be here stated that the switch assembly may be operated by the time shaft of a clock of any suitable type. In Figures and 1 the time shaft of a clock is indi cated generally by reference numeral and it will be noted the shaft 10 is made to extend a considerable distance from the body of the clock in order that the same may properly accommodate the switch assembly to be hereinafter described.

Upon the shaft 10 there is fitted a bushing 11, which is made of electrical insulating material and terminates at its inner end in a flange or collar 12. A second bushing 13 is fitted upon the first-named bushr and the bushing v13 likewise terminal r its inner end in a flange 14, said flange ab ting the flange 12 of the bushing 11'. it dial plate 15 is provided and formed vith a central opening adapted to receive the bushing 13. The dial plate 15 is fitted upon the bushing 13, as shown to advantage in Figures 3 and 4.

The dial 15 has numbers printed or stamped upon its front face to indicate the twenty-four hours constituting a day and a night. Preferably a plurality of short radial lines 16 are provided to indicate hour periods and shorter radial lines 1"? are provided to indicate half hour periods.

Upon the bushing 13 there is loosely fitted sleeve 18 which has secured at its one end a disc 19, and at its other end a disr 20. Between the discs 19 and 20 there is loosely fitted upon the sleeve 18 a ring The ring 21 is formed with the radial 21. extension 22, said extension being disposed in close relation to the front face of the dial 15. The disc 19 is formed with a similar exteir sion 23 and each extension is provided with an o fset surface 2% adjacent its one 1ongitudinal edge to provide an edge, which is equal to or exceeds in length a line 16 upon the dial 15. The specific purpose of this arrangement will hereinafter appear.

T 1e ring 21 has formed upon its outer periphery a raised surface 26, and a similar raised surface 27 is formed upon the outer periphery of the disc 20. These surfaces will hereinafter be referred to cams, and it will be noted that the one end of i A cam 26 ierinin in ii line coinciding w. .l ecge .ovided by the offset surface of extension 22 While the cam 27 terminates at one end in a similar manner with the edge provided by the offset surface 2% of the extension 23.

A plate 28 is provided said plate being of insulating material and having a central opening adapted to receive the outer end of bushing 11. The diameter of this plate slightly exceeds the diameter of the disc 20. l-ioweier, it is to be noted that the cams 26 and 2'? protrude from the outer periphery of the plate 28, as shown in Figui" 2.

The outer end of the time shaft 10 is provided with a threaded longitudinally and centrally extending bore, which is adapted to receive a screw 2 said screw terminating at its outer end in a shoulder 30, which, in turn, is formed with an elongated stem-like extension 31 having its outer end enlarged and knurled, as at 32.

The ring 21 is provided with a suitable threaded opening adapted to receive a screw 33, said screw also terminating at its outer end in a shoulder or enlargement 34:, and said enlargement in turn being provided with an extension 35 which terminates in a knurled head 36. Plate 28 is provided with an opening to receive freely shoulder 34 of screw 33. Disc 20 is provided with an arcuate slot to permit independent movement of the member 20 with relation to the ring 21. The slot is best shown in Figure 5. The screw is designed to secure the switch assembly upon the time shaft 10 while the st w 32-3 is employed for holding the members l9 and 20 against movement with relation to the ring 21. It is also pointed out that the dial plate 15 is tightly fitted upon the bushing 13.

Referring to Figures 1 and7, at 35, there is indicated a block of insulating material which may be supported in any convenient manner, and which carries the contact tingers 34S and 557. The contact finger 37 is bent adjacent its free end to provide a protrusion 2 which adapted to ride upon the i peripheral mrface of the plate 28.

oute.

The linger 3T of such a width that upon the cams 2(3 and 27 coming into registration therewith, he same will engage the protrus; n ii-2' and lift said finger from the periphral su e of the plate 28 The finger 36 is ada the dial 10;

The block 35 may carry the two binding posts 22-8, '35), one of which is electrically connected to the contact linger 36 and the other conneciefl to finger 37. The binding post connected by a suitable lead to an electric battery generally inthe reference numeral 43. The

to press against the rear face of dicated other side of the battery may be connected to the circuit terminal 410 and the binding tonnected to a similar circuit terminal all. The circuit to be controlled by the switch may be connected to the terminals all.) and 41.

In Figure 1 there is shown a pointer 44, the purpose of which will be explained in the general description of the operation of this invention.

In manufacturing the device, the battery 43, together with the clock for driving the time shaft 10 and the switch assembly, may be placed in one casing and made portable. The signal element to be controlled, such as an electric lamp, should be connected to the terminals el-O and 1-1. The parts of the switch assembly are brought together as best illustrated in Figure 3.

lVhen it is desired to utilize the present iurei'rtion for operating the signal element connected to the terminals 10 and 41 during a certain interval occurring within the period of twenty-four hours, the switch assembly is set for this purpose. In setting the switch assembly the screw 3 should be removed and the ring 21 and disc 19 rotated to bring their extensions 22 and 23 respectively so that the distance between the edges provided by the offset surfaces 2% will indicate upon the dial 15 the length of time the signal is desired to be operated within a period of twenty-four hours. The screw may now be placed in position and in this way the members 19, 2t) and 21 are securely clamped together. The dial 15 should now be rotated to bring the pointer &4 into registration with the time at which the switch is being set. The assembly shown in Figure 5 should now be rotated with respect to the dial 15 to bring the edge 21- of the forward extension to indicate the hour at which the signal is to be operated. The screw 29 should then be operated to secure the plate 28 against the disc 20 and also secure the entire switch assembly upon the time shaft 10.

The device when assembled and arranged, as above described, is ready for operation. The time shaft 10 may be set into operation by starting the associated clock and with the turning of the switch assembly, the finger 36 will ride upon the outer periphery of the plate 28 until it is engaged by one of the cams 26, 27. It should be here noted that the time shaft in this particular instance revolves in a counter-clockwise direction. The cam surface 26 would be the first to engage with the finger 37 and extension 22 would be the foremost. Immediately upon the finger 3'7 engaging the cam 26, an electrical current will flow from one side of the battery 43 through the contact fingers 5? and 36 and then through the signal circuit connected to the terminals 10 and 411. The circuit will be maintained until both the cams 26 and 27 p: from beneath the outer end of the linger 31'. As is entirely apparent the circuit through the signal ele lnent will bemade a certain period during each twenty-four hours, or, in other words, duringeach complete rotation of the dial 15.

While I have shown and described the preferred fornrof my invention, I wish it to be understood that I am aware of the fact that slight changes might be made in the general construction, combination and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, as indicated by the appendef claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric time switch, a time shaft, a pair of metallic annular plate hers mounted upon the shaft in abutt relation, a disc of insulating material mounted upon the shaft, said disc of insulating ma terial exceeding the diameter of the metallic platemembers, anelongated peripheral contact carried by each metaLic plate member, said contacts extending beyond the periphery of the disc of insulating material, a stationary contact arm adapt; to ride upon the periphery of the disc of insulating material and also overlap the peripheries of the metallic plate members, and means whereby the metallic plate members may be adjusted to bring the peripheral contacts thereof into overlapping relation and provide various lengths of continuous contacting surface with which said contact arm may engage during each rotation of said time shaft.

2. In an electric time switch, a time shaft, a pair of metallic annular plate members mounted upon the shaft in abutting relation, a disc of insulating material mounted upon the shaft, said disc of insulating material exceeding the diameter of the metallic plate members, an elongated peripheral con tact carried by each metallic plate member, said contacts extending beyond the periphery of the disc of insulating material, a stationary contact arm adapted to ride upon the periphery of the disc of insulating ma terial and also overlap the peripheries of the metallic plate members, means whereby the metallic plate members may be adjusted to bring the peripheral contacts thereof into overlapping relation and provide various lengths of continuous contacting surface with which said contact arm may engage during each rotation of said time shaft, and means for clamping together the metallic plate members and disc of insulating material to move with the shaft as a unit.

3. In an electrical time switch, a time shaft, a sleeve upon the shaft, a pair of disc members fixed upon the sleeve, a ring loosely mounted upon said sleeve and between said disc members, an elongated peripheral. contact carried by one of said disc members and the ring, a stationary contact arm ar ranged'to wipe the peripheral contacts, and

arm arranged to wipe said peripheral contacts, and means whereby the ring may be adjustably clamped to one side of one of said disc members.

In an electric time switch, a time shafta sleeve upon the shaft, a pair otdiscs upon the sleeve, a ring between said an elongated peripheral con art carried by one disc and the ring, means wl he ring and discs may be adjust .5, to each other, a contact arm wipe said peripheral contacts with each rotation of said shaft, a disc of insui: material arranged upon said shaft and the periphery of which is adapted to engage the contact arm and hold the same out of contacting relation with said discs and said ring.

6. In an electric time switch, a time shaft, a metallic dial fixed upon the shaft and insulated therefrom, a contact arm arranged to engage one side of the dial, a pair of circular p members arranged upon the shaft and upon the other side of the dial, a peripheral contact carried by each of the last-named members, means whereby said plate members may be adjusted upon the shaft to bring the peripheral contacts into overlapping relation and provide a continuous contact surface of various lengths, said peripheral contacts being electrically connected to said metallic dial, and a second stationary contact arm arranged to wipe said peripheral contacts with each rotation of the time shaft.

7. In an electric time switch, a time shaft, a dial fixed upon said shaft, a sleeve upon the shaft, a pair of discs Fixed upon said sleeve, a ring loose upon the sleeve and disposed between said discs, a peripheral con tact carried by the ring and by the disc remote from the dial, a radial arm extending from the disc adjacent the dial and the ring whereby said disc and ring may be adjusted to bring the peripheral contacts into overlapping relation and provide various lengths of continuous contact surface, the distance between the radial arms corresponding to the length of said contact surface in each instance and said arms also indicating the time period on the dial necessary for the contact surface to pass a given point, and a stationary contact arm adapted to wipe upon the peripheral con tacts with each rotation of the time. shaft 8. In an electric time switch, a time shaft,

a dial fixed upon said shaft, a sleeve upon the shaft, a pair of discs fixed upon said sleeve, a ring loose upon the sleeve and disposed between said discs, a peripheral contact carried by the ring and by the disc remote from the dial, a radial arm extending from the disc adjacent the dial and the ring whereby said discs and ring may be adjusted to bring the peripheral contacts into overlapping relation and provide various lengths of continuous contact surface, the distance between the radial arms cor responding to the length of said contact surface in each instance, a stationary contact arm adapted to wipe upon the peripheral contacts with the rotation of the time shaft, an annular plate of insulating mate-.

9. In an electric time switch. a time shaft, a dial fixed upon said time shaft, a sleeve upon said shaft, a pair of discs fixed upon said sleeve, a ring arranged between said discs, a peripheral contact carried by one of said discs and said ring, means whereby the discs and ring may be adjusted to arrange the relative position of said overlapping peripheral contacts, a" stationary contact arm adapted to wipe upon said peripheral contacts, an annular plate of insulating material arranged upon said shaft, the periphery of which is adapted to engage the contact arm and hold the same out of engagement with said discs and ring during the period said arm is not in engagement with said peripheral contacts, and means whereby the discs and ring, together with the plate of insulating material may be clamped against said dial to rotate with said time shaft as a unit.

DOUGLAS L. PARKHURST. 

